Flue-scraper.



Patented May 14, mm.

LA FAYETTE BOLLINS.

FLUE SCRAPER. m

(Application filed Feb. 27. 1901.)

(No Model.)

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UNtrlED STATES PATE T OFFICE.

LA FAYETTE ROLLINS, OF ALBANY, NEW YORK.

FLU E-SCRAPER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 673,967, dated May 14, 1901.

Application filed February 27, 1901. Serial No. 49,033. (No modem To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, LA FAYETTE RoLLINs, a citizen of the United States, residing at Al-- bany, New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Flue-Scrapers; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

The object of my invent-ion is to provide a new and improved flue scraper or cleaner.

In the drawings, Figure 1 shows a longitudinal sectional view of my device; Fig. 2, a cross-section thereof, taken on line Y Y; Fig. 3, a similar sectional view taken on line X X of Fig. 1, and Fig. 4 a side elevation of one of the scrapers.

The main bodyof my device consists of the cup-shaped head 1, conical in form, having a rod 2 passing, through it, said rod being pinned in place by pin 10, this construction being used to facilitate the casting of the head 1. The rod 2 extends entirely through the head 1 and is threaded atits rear end, so as to take a handle, and at its forward end, so as to take the holding-nut 7. In the mouth of the head 1 is an inwardly-projecting flange 4: at, in which are openings 13, in which the scrapers 8 lieand have forward-and-rearward motion. The scrapers 8 are looselyattached to the periphery of the spreader 5, preferably by rivets 9, passing through a slot'l2, so that they may have sufficient independent individuallongitudinal rocking and a backwardand-forward motion about the rivet 9 in the slot 12, whereby the forward or cutting ends of the scrapers are spread or contracted. Forward of the spreader 5 is a scraper and guide-plate 6, having notches 11 in its edge for the reception of the scrapers 8 and to keep them from having too much sidewise or lateral motion around the rivets 9, said plate 6 being preferably attached to the forward face of the spreader-5 by rivets 10. The head 1 is of such internal configuration that as the scrapers 8 are forced into the head the rear ends of the scrapers slide over and follow the curved inner surface of the head and are of such length that when fully entered in the head 1 they will bottom therein, and when so bottomed any strain that would otherwise come upon and bend or tend to shear rivets 9 is avoided, it havingbeen found empirically that if the said rivets are left to bear the strain caused by the jamming of the device in a boiler-flue they bend sufiiciently to stop the sidewise swing of the scrapers and prevent them from expanding and contracting, and as theplate 6 has its periphery in contact with the inner sides of the boiler-flue and is liable to meet obstructions in being forced into the fine I have provided slots 12 in each scraper, so that no strain can come upon the rivets, and when inserted in a boiler-flue the spreader 5 bottoms on the interually-projecting" flange 4 of the cup 1, preventing the ends of the scrapers in the cup 1 from hearing the whole strain of the forward thrust.

The operation is as follows: A handle being attached to the rear end of rod 2, the device is ready for insertion in the bOllGlFflllG. The plate 6, spreader 5, and scrapers 8 are then drawn as far forward as nut 7 will allow and so that the forward or cutting ends of the scrapers 8 may be well contracted or shut together. When so contracted, they are entered in the boiler-flue. The periphery of the plate 6 is very nearly the diameter of the flue, and as it enters the periphery will on its bottom edge rest thereon, and as the device is further entered the resistance caused by the plate 6 will force the scrapers 8 into the head 1, and as their rear ends are compelled to follow the configuration of the inner surface of the head 1 and are sustained in openings 13 in proper position the forward orcuttingends are expanded and forced against the inner surface of the due and come in contact with any refuse matter thereon and scrape or cut it off, and plate 6 pushes the loosened matter forward and out of the other end of the flue. As the scrapers expand and come in contact with the inner surface of the flue they are crowded rearward and their rear ends are caused to bottom in the head 1, and thus all strain on the rivets 9 is avoided, and at the same time the rear surface of spreader 5 is bottomed on the inwardly-projecting flange 4, and any rearward force tending to disturb rivets 9 is also avoided. When the device is 'withdrawnfrom the flue, the Scrapers 8, plat e 6, and spreader are forced against retainingnut 7, thereby withdrawing the scrapers parvice is easily withdrawn from the flue, the

slots 12 in the scrapers 8 acting, with the rivets 9, to'cause the scrapers to free themselves from the cup 1 by reason'of the independent individual longitudinal motion of the scrapers .Its

8 after theyhave been jammed hard therein in pushing or forcing the scraper into the boilerflue. 1 I

Having described my invention, what I claim is l. A boiler-flue cleaner having a cylindrical conical head and having a rod passing th rough it and projecting at both ends, a spreader arranged to slide upon the said rod, longitudinal scrapers secured to the spreader and arranged to have a rocking and forward-andrearwardindependent,individual, longitudinal motion thereon in order that their forward ends may be contracted and expanded; their rear ends entering the conical head and arranged to bottom therein when so entered at a predetermined distance, the'head having an inwardly-projecting flange with openings for the passage of the scrapers and a guideplate secured in front of the spreader and projecting between the scrapers to practically fill out the circle of the flue, and having means for preventing the strain generated by the.

forward thrust of the scraper in the flue being carried by the bottomed ends of the scrapers, substantially as described.

2. A boiler-flue cleaner having a hollow head, the inner surfaces being inclined inwardly and a rod passing through the same and projecting at both ends, a spreader arranged to slide on the said rod, scrapers secured to the spreader and arranged to have a rocking independent, individual, longitudinal motion thereon their rear ends entering the head andarranged to bottom therein when so entered at a predetermined distance, the forward end of the head being arranged so that the spreader will bottom thereon when the scrapers have bottomed in the head, in order that the bottomed ends may be relieved of the strain caused by the forward thrust of the scraper in the tube, the head having an internally projecting flange and openings therein for the passage of the scrapers and a guide-plate secured in front of the scraper and projecting between the scrapers to practically fill out the circle of the flue, substantially as described.

3. A boiler-t1 ue cleaner having scrapers assembled practically in a circle about and attached to a spreader, each scraper having a slot therein and means passing freely through said slot whereby the scrapers are attached to the spreader so that each scraper may have forward-and-rearward independent, individual, longitudinal and a tipping motion on said spreader and having a cup-shaped head the bottom ends of the scrapers bottoming in the cup-shaped head and having a guide-plate secured in front of the spreader and projecting between the scrapers to practically fill out the circle of the flue and having means for inserting and withdrawing the scrapers and head in and from a fine, substantiallyas described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

LA FAYETTE ROLLINS. Witnesses:

W. M. BROWN, A. M TURNER. 

